Shows
Reviews And OtherwiseTHE SUBSTANCEReviewing the film du jour by Coralie Fageat which, somehow, fails to confront the epidemic of Botoxed facelifting forced on most women working in show business, as well as enabling by other women in executive positions. At the beginning, Demi Moore’s 1996 film STRIPTEASE is mentioned to contrast the indulgence of the male gaze with the alleged boldness of her extended nudity (plus that of Margaret Qualley) in this motion picture.
2024-09-2515 minReviews And OtherwiseALIEN: ROMULUS/MOTHERS’ INSTINCT/YOUNG WOMAN AND THE SEAReviewing the fast-paced distillation of the ALIEN franchise, plus the dumped-by-Neon teaming of Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway and, finally, Daisy Ridley going full Hillary Swank as champion 1920s swimmer Gertrude Ederle.
2024-08-2121 minReviews And OtherwiseDOCUMENTARIES: ELIZABETH TAYLOR, POWELL AND PRESSBURGERReviewing Nanette Burstein’s simplifying overview of Elizabeth Taylor, favoring iconic star status over in-depth career insights. Also, some comments on Martin Scorsese’s tribute to the legendary British filmmaking duo Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
2024-08-0424 minReviews And OtherwiseFAYE: THE FAYE DUNAWAY STORYA few words about Laurent Bouzereau’s documentary of Faye Dunaway, which makes a case for her best screen performances, while trying to downplay or rationalize her irritability as part of getting the job done.
2024-07-2710 minReviews And OtherwiseMORE BIG SWINGS: KINDS OF KINDNESS/HORIZON PLUS FIREBRANDExamining Yorgos Lanthimos’s trifecta of thematic overlap smothered in cleverness, currently favored over Kevin Costner’s more thematically challenging epic Western. Also: Alicia Vikander as Katherine Parr stands her ground against Jude Law’s Henry VIII in the uneven but worthwhile FIREBRAND.
2024-07-0920 minReviews And OtherwiseEXPLAINING THE FALL GUYOffering context as to how HOOPER, a 1978 Burt Reynolds/Hal Needham ode to stuntpeople, and THE FALL GUY, a Lee Majors/Glen Larson 1980s TV series about a crime-solving stuntman, gave birth to an “original” would-be blockbuster.
2024-05-1013 minReviews And OtherwiseDOCUMENTARIES: STEVE MARTIN/PAUL SIMON/JERRY LEE LEWIS + CURRENT THEATRICAL RELEASESMammoth victory lap documentaries usurped by modest Jerry Lee Lewis chronicles dumped by A24. Plus THE BEEKEEPER/WICKED LITTLE LETTERS/THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE.
2024-05-0522 minReviews And OtherwiseCIVIL WAR/GODZILLA X KONG THE NEW EMPIRE/LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVILAlex Garland’s opaque on purpose Divided America epic, plus easier to grasp monster and demonic fare.
2024-04-1810 minReviews And OtherwiseDUNE PART TWO/DRIVE-AWAY DOLLSReviewing this year’s first surefire blockbuster plus Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke’s lesbians on the road comedy, which will likely find a larger audience via streaming.
2024-03-0710 minReviews And OtherwiseMORE UNDERSEEN FILMS NOIR AND GODZILLA MINUS ONE MINUS COLORDiscussing 50s noir films including I DIED A THOUSAND TIMES, PICKUP and ROADBLOCK. Also, a few words about the black-and-white version of GODZILLA MINUS ONE, which complements its 1954 ancestor GOJIRA.
2024-01-2815 minReviews And OtherwiseMAESTROBradley Cooper takes a technical leap forward in his biopic of Leonard Bernstein, but it’s Carey Mulligan’s performance as wife/partner Felicia that saves this from being merely awards aspirant.
2023-12-2510 minReviews And OtherwiseWONKAPaul King of PADDINGTON fame combines with the Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts production team to give viewers Timothee Chalamet as young Willy Wonka in a not-magical-enough origin story.
2023-12-2205 minReviews And OtherwiseBEST FILMS OF 2023 SO FARDiscussing what, as of mid-December, are the best 2023 releases I’ve seen—along with honorable mentions and one watchable underachiever.
2023-12-1407 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE STONES AND BRIAN JONES/SALTBURNNick Broomfield’s Brian Jones documentary and Emerald Fennell’s satirical comedy/drama have this in common: English estates where people come to premature ends.
2023-11-2814 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE EXORCIST: BELIEVER/KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON/THE HOLDOVERSReviewing David Gordon Green’s flawed but not bad addition to the EXORCIST franchise, the latest Scorsese (very good, but too soon to know where it will stand in his canon) and Alexander Payne’s return to form after the misfire of DOWNSIZING.
2023-10-3009 minReviews And OtherwiseSQUARING THE CIRCLE (THE STORY OF HIPGNOSIS)/COBWEBAnton Corbijn’s documentary about the record cover photo/design company which, in its lifespan, proceeded from the psychedelic 60s to the careless Imperial Rock Star period of the late 70s before punk, synthpop and music videos hurried its demise. Also, the understandably dumped by Lionsgate COBWEB—Samuel Bodin taking a good premise and botching it by over reliance on exaggeration and shoutouts to infinitely better films
2023-09-1315 min
Rebel-Ed PodcastE1: Interviews with South Gray's new principal, Dr. Terry McCarty, and South Gray's superintendent, Mr. Jay Zehr - AnnouncementsWelcome to the first episode of season four of the Rebel-Ed Podcast. This week we interviewed South Gray's new principal, Dr. Terry McCarty, and our superintendent, Mr. Jay Zehr, to give you information about the brand new South Gray High School. Enjoy!
2023-09-091h 05Reviews And OtherwiseBLUE BEETLE/DOWNWINDReviewing the DC Latinx superhero film which is a big budget homage to mediocre Cannon Films 80s fare, plus a new documentary about people irradiated by nuclear weapons tests ranging from the 1950s to 1992.
2023-08-2913 minReviews And OtherwiseNEARLY 20 MINUTES ON WILLIAM FRIEDKINEulogizing William Friedkin’s career, with attention paid to THE DEVIL AND FATHER AMORTH and the dual versions of RAMPAGE (plus sidebar on J. Lee Thompson’s 10 TO MIDNIGHT).
2023-08-1020 minReviews And OtherwiseTOM, WES AND HARRISONReviews of three movies which demand theatrical viewing: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE DEAD RECKONING PART ONE, ASTEROID CITY and INDIANA JONES AND THE. DIAL OF DESTINY.
2023-07-1211 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE FLASH: A POST-MORTEMAt this writing, audiences are actively avoiding seeing Andy Muschietti’s THE FLASH during its theatrical release. Here are a few thoughts about the serpentine, tone-shifting route of the pre-James Gunn DCEU (not counting the Christopher Nolan/Matt Reeves BATMAN quartet), multiverse mania, what does work in THE FLASH and the conclusion that the less-broad Zack Snyder approach to Barry Allen/Flash is, in hindsight, preferable.
2023-06-2117 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE BOOGEYMAN/DALILAND/R.I.P. GLENDA JACKSONReviewing the new Stephen King adaptation, Mary Harron’s conventional, cliched take on Salvador Dali’s 1970s and contextualizing Glenda Jackson’s British and American successes.
2023-06-1612 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE LITTLE MERMAID 2023/YOU HURT MY FEELINGSReviewing the latest example of Disney remaking its classics and the new comedy of manners from Nicole Holofcener.
2023-06-0205 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE POPE’S EXORCIST/THE LOST WEEKEND: A LOVE STORYRussell Crowe, last seen by me as a killer road rage driver, classes up a new entry into the almost five-decade exorcism religious horror genre. Also, May Pang, John Lennon’s lover and working companion from 1973 to 1975. states her case for being a positive influence on Lennon during a period often mischaracterized as nonstop partying.
2023-04-2012 minReviews And OtherwiseBEN AFFLECK’S LATEST/BRUCE WILLIS’S LASTReviews of Ben Affleck’s AIR and Jesse Atlas’s ASSASSIN-the final Bruce Willis film to be released.
2023-04-1112 minReviews And OtherwiseJOHN WICK CHAPTER 4Like TOP GUN: MAVERICK, the latest version of the John Wick fight/kill saga is an example of critics and audiences going gaga over undeniable filmmaking skill and craftsmanship.
2023-04-0407 minReviews And OtherwiseACADEMY AWARDS 2023/CREED III/SCREAM VIA few words on the noneventful-on-purpose 2023 Academy Awards ceremony, plus comments on sequels CREED III (good) and SCREAM VI (uneven).
2023-03-1413 minReviews And OtherwisePHILIP MARLOWE PAST AND PRESENTReviewing Neil Jordan’s MARLOWE, with a discussion of how Robert Mitchum’s two 1970s films as Philip Marlowe are the spiritual ancestors of Liam Neeson’s performance.
2023-02-1714 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE WHALE and the simplified Brendan Fraser comeback narrativeReviewing THE WHALE and mentioning, among other things, Brendan Fraser’s earlier venture into prestige filmmaking (GODS AND MONSTERS).
2023-02-0914 minReviews And OtherwiseOSCAR NOMINATIONS LIGHTNING ROUND: WOMEN TALKING/AFTERSUN/LIVINGDiscussing three of this year’s Academy Awards nominees, as well as the omissions of Danielle Deadwyler (TILL) and DECISION TO LEAVE.
2023-02-0313 minReviews And OtherwiseR.I.P. GINA LOLLOBRIGIDATribute to the actress/filmmaker/artist/politician who passed away at 95 earlier this week. Her 1964 film WOMAN OF STRAW, with Sean Connery and Ralph Richardson, is reviewed.
2023-01-1909 minReviews And OtherwiseBIG SWINGS: BABYLON/WHITE NOISEReviewing the ambitious new films of Damien Chazelle and Noah Baumbach.
2023-01-0550 minReviews And OtherwiseAVATAR: THE WAY OF WATERDiscussing James Cameron’s visually brilliant, dramatically undernourished sequel—plus predecessors Georges Méliès and Tom Laughlin of BILLY JACK fame.
2022-12-2813 minReviews And OtherwiseSOME NICE THINGS YOU’RE MISSINGDiscussion of underseen films/TV from this year including PETIT MAMAN, THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN. ARMAGEDDON TIME, THE FABELMANS, the Robert Downey documentary SR., and Ethan Hawke’s THE LAST MOVIE STARS.
2022-12-2129 minReviews And OtherwiseGLASS ONION/THE MENUComparing and contrasting two satires of the oftentimes nefarious rich. With references to Ken Adam, Peter Greenaway and THE LAST OF SHEILA.
2022-12-0211 minReviews And OtherwiseBLACK FRIDAY EDITION: AMSTERDAM AND BLONDEDiscussing two casualties of this awards season (though Ana De Armas may yet receive Globes/Academy attention). Plus—relating to AMSTERDAM—mention of an actual fascist takeover in Washington film, the William Randolph Hearst production GABRIEL OVER THE WHITE HOUSE.
2022-11-2614 minReviews And OtherwiseBLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVERReviewing Ryan Coogler’s flawed but intermittently compelling sequel which doubles as a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman.
2022-11-1507 minReviews And OtherwiseLIGHTNING ROUND: #METOO HORROR MOVIESReviews of SHE WILL, RESURRECTION, BARBARIAN and WATCHER—plus a few more thoughts on TAR.
2022-11-0814 minReviews And OtherwiseAWARDS SEASON 2022-2023: TARTodd Field’s lengthy, though noncommittal (except to tilt in the direction of public indignation over the exposure of private sins) #MeToo epic about a soon to be disgraced symphony conductor (Cate Blanchett).
2022-11-0507 minReviews And OtherwiseLATE PERIOD WALTER HILL: DEAD FOR A DOLLARReviewing Walter Hill’s return to the Western genre, plus discussing the early work that ensured a long, if sometimes uneven, career.
2022-10-0819 minReviews And OtherwiseSEEING BROS IN SIMI VALLEYA few words on Billy Eichner’s gay romcom BROS—a film that doesn’t deserve its vigorous rejection by the mass audience marketplace.
2022-10-0408 minReviews And OtherwiseLIGHTNING ROUND: MOONAGE DAYDREAM/CONFESS, FLETCH/DON’T WORRY, DARLING/R.I.P. LOUISE FLETCHERQuick reactions to David Bowie as interpreted by Brett Morgen, Greg Mottola and Jon Hamm reviving the FLETCH franchise, Olivia Wilde’s uneven, but great-looking sophomore film and an overlooked Louise Fletcher performance (1983’s BRAINSTORM).
2022-09-2810 min
Boys of Summer are FreezingEpisode 12 - Baseball rule changes - a visit with Rick McCartyA discussion with ACU baseball coach Rick McCarty regarding his best baseball memories and ideas for improving the game.
2022-09-2129 minReviews And OtherwiseR.I.P. JAMES CAAN/ELVIS/THE BLACK PHONERecommending Howard Zieff’s 1973 crime comedy SLITHER, with James Caan, plus reviews of Baz Luhrmann’s ELVIS and the conspicuously recycled THE BLACK PHONE.
2022-07-0818 minReviews And OtherwiseGOODBYE JURASSIC WORLDDiscussing JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION, how THE LOST WORLD Is the actual worst of the sextet and a few words on behalf of Joe Johnston’s neglected JURASSIC PARK III.
2022-06-2109 minReviews And OtherwiseAMBULANCE/CRIMES OF THE FUTURETwo very diverse filmmakers revisit their pasts: Michael Bay makes a return to his 90s mega-action heyday and David Cronenberg again combines body horror with stylized social commentary.
2022-06-0916 minReviews And OtherwiseTOP GUN: MAVERICK/HAPPENING/MENReviewing the latest installment of Tom Cruise demonstrating his indestructible star power, plus brief comments on must-see non-blockbusters HAPPENING and MEN.
2022-06-0316 minReviews And OtherwiseBONUS EPISODE: MOVIES OF 1977Survey of the cinematic year which shifted mainstream cinema from downbeat adult fare to triumphant escapism. Films discussed include ROCKY, SLAP SHOT, SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT, STAR WARS, THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, ROLLING THUNDER, SEMI-TOUGH, JULIA, THE TURNING POINT and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.
2022-05-1828 minReviews And OtherwiseEVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCEReview of Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s spinning top family saga which has fine lead performances, but overindulges to its detriment.
2022-04-2110 minReviews And OtherwiseBONUS EPISODE: ASKING MYSELF A FEW THINGSA self-interview mentioning my earliest movie experiences, my first foreign film, taking a film class with Baird Whitlock (who shares a name with a Joel and Ethan Coen character, being an AFI volunteer amidst future Oscar and Tony winners and favorite film and music podcasts.
2022-04-1418 minReviews And OtherwiseTURNING RED/DEEP WATER/RED ROCKETReviews of Pixar’s metaphor for a 13-year-old Canadian/Asian girl’s adolescence, Adrian Lyne’s belated return to the erotic thriller genre and Sean Baker’s Texans hanging out (in multiple senses) followup to THE FLORIDA PROJECT.
2022-03-2211 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE BATMAN ACCORDING TO MATT REEVESMatt Reeves reactivates the Caped Crusader in a two hour film wearing a baggy three hour epic suit.
2022-03-1312 minReviews And OtherwiseAWARDS SEASON 2021-2022: CYRANO + SCREAM/HERE BEFOREReviewing Joe Wright’s overlooked CYRANO, plus the fifth SCREAM and HERE BEFORE—a character study of a mother convinced the little girl next door is the reincarnation of her deceased daughter.
2022-03-0814 minReviews And OtherwiseAWARDS SEASON 2021-2022: FLEE/LICORICE PIZZADiscussing the animated documentary FLEE and Paul Thomas Anderson’s deservedly praised LICORICE PIZZA.
2022-02-1616 min2022-02-1208 minReviews And OtherwiseAWARDS SEASON 2021-2022: THIS YEAR’S OSCAR NOMINATIONSOverview of the Academy Awards Best Picture nominations plus some observations on other categories.
2022-02-0813 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE TWILIGHT OF WOODY ALLEN AND BILL COSBYDiscussion of Woody Allen’s RIFKIN’S FESTIVAL, the first episode of W. Kamau Bell’s docuseries WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT COSBY and how to regard quality of work and public plaudits while being aware of problematic/toxic behavior at the same time.
2022-02-0219 minReviews And OtherwiseAWARDS SEASON 2021-2022: PARALLEL MOTHERS/DON’T LOOK UP/THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYEDiscussing Pedro Almovodar’s very good showcase for Penelope Cruz, plus hit and/or miss social commentary fare from Adam McKay and Michael Showalter.
2022-01-2616 minReviews And OtherwiseAWARDS SEASON 2021-2022: MASS/THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETHReviewing Fran Kranz’s photographed stage play MASS and Joel Coen’s technically brilliant but dramatically underwhelming adaptation of Shakespeare’s MACBETH.
2022-01-1913 minReviews And Otherwisetick…tick…BOOM!/THE TENDER BARReviewing Lin-Manuel Miranda’s assured (sometimes Fosse-esque) directorial debut and the annual George Clooney-directed Prestige Movie.
2022-01-1213 minReviews And OtherwiseAWARDS SEASON 2021-2022: THE LOST DAUGHTER/C’MON C’MONNew reviews of Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut and Mike Mills’s first film since 20TH CENTURY WOMEN.
2022-01-0515 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE MATRIX RESURRECTIONSDiscussing Lana Wachowski’s resurrection of THE MATRIX, which attempts to thread together meta jokes/references and conventional fan service.
2021-12-2513 minReviews And OtherwiseAWARDS SEASON 2021: PIG/SWAN SONG/NIGHTMARE ALLEY/BEING THE RICARDOSCatching up with the Nicolas Cage indie crossover PIG, as well as reviews of SWAN SONG (Mahershala Ali), Guillermo Del Toro and Kim Morgan’s NIGHTMARE ALLEY and Aaron Sorkin’s BEING THE RICARDOS.
2021-12-2227 minReviews And OtherwiseADA/BENEDETTAReviewing the now little known 1961 political drama with Dean Martin as a co-opted Southern governor—and Paul Verhoeven’s drama on the intersection of sexuality and 17th-century religion.
2021-12-1520 minReviews And OtherwiseAWARDS SEASON 2021: WEST SIDE STORYA few words on the new WEST SIDE STORY, and where it fits into the Steven Spielberg canon (mainly the Spielberg of late who aspires to William Wyler/George Stevens status).
2021-12-1113 minReviews And OtherwiseAWARDS SEASON 2021: SPENCERDiscussing Pablo Larrain’s SPENCER and Kristen Stewart’s sure-to-be win of the Best Actress Academy Award.
2021-12-0911 minReviews And OtherwiseAWARDS SEASON 2021: HOUSE OF GUCCIA few words on Ridley Scott’s pop culture banger about machinations and murder in the world of high fashion.
2021-12-0410 minReviews And OtherwiseAWARDS SEASON 2021: BELFASTA few words about Kenneth Branagh’s coming-of-age in Northern Ireland cinematic memoir—which, hopefully, won’t receive AMPAS neglect like last year’s MINARI.
2021-12-0215 minReviews And OtherwiseAWARDS SEASON 2021: THE POWER OF THE DOGDiscussing Jane Campion’s new film, which has fine acting and period ambience but is more reigned in and over controlled than its admirers realize.
2021-11-3017 minReviews And OtherwiseAWARDS SEASON 2021: PASSING/BERGMAN ISLAND/KING RICHARDThree of the films which may be competitive in acting and directing categories during this awards season.
2021-11-2336 minReviews And OtherwiseBONUS EPISODE: SHANG-CHI: A CURE FOR MARVEL FATIGUEA few remarks about passing up the recent glut of Marvel TV series, only to return for a Disney+ showing of the IMAX-enhanced SHANG- CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS.
2021-11-1615 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE LAST DUEL/THE HARDER THEY FALL 2021/LAST NIGHT IN SOHOThree period films with different aims: reviving the prestige historical drama, reactivating the dormant subgenre of Black Westerns and a colorful character study of immersion/survival in problematic 1960s London.
2021-11-0931 minReviews And OtherwiseBONUS EPISODE: UNDERSEEN HORROR MOVIESDiscussing horror movies that aren’t as well-known as the genre staples—from Lionel Atwill’s gruesome pre-code MURDERS IN THE ZOO to Frankie Avalon playing an adult in 1970’s HORROR HOUSE.
2021-10-3114 minReviews And OtherwiseDUNE & THE VELVET UNDERGROUNDCovering the dutiful Denis Villeneuve retread of DUNE and Todd Haynes’s more exciting guided tour of seminal art rock/protopunk band The Velvet Underground.
2021-10-2621 minReviews And OtherwiseHALLOWEEN KILLS….TIMEThe latest resurrection of prolific killer Michael Myers, courtesy of David Gordon Green, Danny McBride and Blumhouse; guessing that next year’s HALLOWEEN ENDS won’t be the end of Michael if money can still be made.
2021-10-2115 minReviews And OtherwiseNO TIME TO DIE: THE END OF JAMES BOND AS WE KNOW HIMDiscussion of NO TIME TO DIE plus two of its predecessors in mixing high drama into the license to kill plus escapism formula (THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS and THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH).
2021-10-1414 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE CARD COUNTER/HALLOWEEN 4 AND 5Review of Paul Schrader’s latest fillm THE CARD COUNTER, the latest in his God’s Lonely Man narratives. Plus the non-artistic, but occasionally effective sequels to the first two Carpenter/Hill HALLOWEEN films (kudos to Danielle Harris).
2021-10-0727 minReviews And OtherwiseMICHAEL K. WILLIAMS, CLINT EASTWOOD AND NIA DACOSTA.Begins with tribute to the late Michael K. Williams, mentioning his role in John Leguizamo’s CRITICAL THINKING. Also reviews of Clint Eastwood’s latest curtain call CRY MACHO and Nia DaCosta’s sequel/reboot to CANDYMAN.
2021-09-1915 minReviews And OtherwiseZONE 414 PLUS EARLY NOAH BAUMBACH AND CLAUDE CHABROLReviewing the faux BLADE RUNNER Irish science fiction ZONE 414 with Guy Pearce, plus Noah Baumbach’s MR. JEALOUSY (1997) and Claude Chabrol’s A DOUBLE TOUR (1959) with the late Jean Paul Belmondo.
2021-09-1422 minReviews And OtherwiseRICK JAMES AND HENRY McHENRYDiscussing the new documentary BITCHIN’: THE SOUND AND FURY OF RICK JAMES and the Leos Carax/Sparks experimental musical drama ANNETTE (plus predecessors PENNIES FROM HEAVEN, NEW YORK NEW YORK and DANCER IN THE DARK).
2021-09-0723 minReviews And OtherwiseMASSACRE TIME/RESPECT/UNDER THE VOLCANO 2021Beginning with a discussion of horror director Lucio Fulci’s Italian Western costarring Franco Nero and George Hilton. Also discussed: Liesl Tommy’s misfired authorized Aretha Franklin biopic RESPECT and Gracie Otto’s anecdotal rock documentary about George Martin’s decade-long AIR recording studio in Montserrat (UNDER THE VOLCANO).
2021-08-3031 minReviews And OtherwiseREMINISCENCE/STILLWATER/CAST A DARK SHADOWDiscussion of Lisa Joy’s neo-noir romance REMINISCENCE and Lewis Gilbert’s wife-killer noir CAST A DARK SHADOW, plus Tom McCarthy’s Americans in trouble abroad character study STILLWATER.
2021-08-2225 minReviews And OtherwiseNAKED SINGULARITY AND CODAReviews of the mildly entertaining legal drama/caper comedy NAKED SINGULARITY and the artificially contrived CODA, which was a Sundance favorite but plays less well on big-screen TV.
2021-08-1819 minReviews And OtherwiseWHIRLYBIRD: BOB TUR, MARIKA GERRARD AND WHY LOS ANGELES TV NEWS IS THE WAY IT ISDiscussing the Matt Yola-directed documentary WHIRLYBIRD, which is receiving an under-the-radar VOD release. The film profiles Bob (now Zoey) Tur and then-wife Marika Gerrard and how their often sensationalist coverage of Los Angeles stories (usually via helicopter) had an ultimately negative effect on local TV news.
2021-08-1212 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE SUICIDE SQUAD ACCORDING TO JAMES GUNN/ANTHONY BOURDAIN AS INTERPRETED BY MORGAN NEVILLEReviews of James Gunn’s sequel/reboot THE SUICIDE SQUAD and ROADRUNNER, Morgan Neville’s controversial take on chef/author/travelogue host Anthony Bourdain.
2021-08-0834 minReviews And OtherwiseVAL: THE VAL KILMER STORYDiscussing the new documentary about Val Kilmer’s life and career—plus a sidebar on actor George Peppard, who had a Kilmer-like trajectory from prestige acting school training to being primarily regarded as a handsome personality star.
2021-08-0720 minReviews And OtherwiseMcCARTNEY 3 2 1: REAFFIRMING THE LEGACYOn Hulu’s Rick Rubin-guided tour of Paul McCartney as Beatle, Wing and solo artist.
2021-07-3114 minReviews And OtherwiseCATCHING UP: SUMMER OF SOUL/THE ICE ROAD/SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACYReturning from a hiatus prompted by a hospital stay, here are brief comments on Questlove’s SUMMER OF SOUL, Liam Neeson’s action programmer trifecta of THE ICE ROAD, THE MARKSMAN and HONEST THIEF, and the surprisingly not bad SPACE JAM sequel.
2021-07-2311 minReviews And OtherwiseHOLLER/THE DRY/NO SUDDEN MOVE/GUILTY BYSTANDERReviewing two new VOD releases (HOLLER, THE DRY) plus Steven Soderbergh’s latest venture into noir (NO SUDDEN MOVE, playing on HBOMAX) and Joseph Lerner’s recently rediscovered and restored 1950 noir GUILTY BYSTANDER.
2021-07-0536 minReviews And OtherwiseNEW SCIENCE FICTION: THE TOMORROW WAR AND VOYAGERSReviews of Chris McKay’s THE TOMORROW WAR (another Paramount blockbuster offloaded to Amazon Prime) and Neil Burger’s young adults going wild in space VOYAGERS, which cribs a little from George Lucas’s THX-1138.
2021-07-0320 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: 1,4,5,6 & 9 (PLUS HOBBS AND SHAW)Discussing the FAST AND FURIOUS films I’ve seen (counting spin-off HOBBS AND SHAW) and crediting the series longevity to FAST FIVE (best of) changing format from street racing sagas to blue-collar MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE mixed with DIE HARD.
2021-06-3029 minReviews And OtherwiseBONUS EPISODE: SOME MILD HERESY REGARDING QUENTIN TARANTINO AND ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOODONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, now getting a novelization, has become Quentin Tarantino’s TITANIC—a theme park viewers love to visit many times (and counting). Is this at the expense of discovering newer, more diverse filmic voices? Plus, some qualms on my part over mythologizing the Hollywood workplace without understanding the racism and narrow thinking that can be found there.
2021-06-2827 minReviews And OtherwiseTHE SPARKS BROTHERS/THE SUBGENRE OF MUSIC DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT CAREER LONGEVITY AND/OR REDISCOVERYDiscussion of Edgar Wright’s tribute to the brothers Mael—plus a few tangentially related films such as the Ramones END OF THE CENTURY, Fishbone’s EVERYDAY SUNSHINE, A BAND CALLED DEATH and selected Julien Temple-directed documentaries.
2021-06-2128 minReviews And Otherwise1970s WESTERNS: CLINT EASTWOOD/GENRE DECONSTRUCTIONBegins with overview of Clint Eastwood’s 70s Westerns (with special attention paid to THE BEGUILED), then segues into genre deconstruction, defined as unconventional stories/aesthetics/directorial choices. Films discussed include McCABE AND MRS. MILLER/BUFFALO BILL AND THE INDIANS (Altman), BAD COMPANY (Robert Benton and David Newman), THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN (John Huston, John Milius), ZANDY’S BRIDE (Jan Troell), THE MISSOURI BREAKS (Arthur Penn, Thomas McGuane, Marlon Brando), and PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID (Sam Peckinpah, Rudolph Wurlitzer).
2021-06-161h 07Reviews And OtherwiseSEE IT IN A THEATER OR AT HOME: RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON/IN THE HEIGHTSDiscussion of the simultaneous theater/streaming releases RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON and IN THE HEIGHTS. Also mentioned: how HBOMAX gets more criticism than Disney+ and how both WB and Disney hide the viewership numbers and streaming grosses from the trade press and mainstream media.
2021-06-1430 minReviews And Otherwise1970s WESTERNS: THE TWILIGHT OF JOHN WAYNEFirst of a sporadic series of episodes about the decline of the Western genre in the 1970s. John Wayne, reluctant to stretch the boundaries of his image, made two Westerns which, more or less, did just that (TRUE GRIT, THE COWBOYS). Otherwise, he cranked out programmers for his core audience—both Westerns and cop films not departing markedly from his Western persona. Films from this period that go slightly out of the corral (BIG JAKE, McQ) are discussed. Also, his two final films (ROOSTER COGBURN, THE SHOOTIST) in the Western genre are discussed—plus Wayne’s farewell to playing his Wester...
2021-06-0955 minReviews And OtherwiseSEQUELITIS: THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT VS A QUIET PLACE PART IIBegins with discussing two types of sequels—the ones that build on the artistic success of their predecessors and the mediocre kind offloaded to directors who care more about making studio release dates. The third CONJURING film is the latter, and A QUIET PLACE PART II is, thankfully, the former.
2021-06-0529 minReviews And OtherwiseBonus Episode: Underseen Film NoirDiscussion of six films (Too Late For Tears, Woman On The Run, The Scar aka Hollow Triumph, The Devil Thumbs A Ride (shoutout to Barry Gifford’s book of film noir essays sharing the same title), Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (now known mainly for co-star Barbara Payton, who later became part of a scandalous, violent triangle—Karina Longworth and poet Michael Shepler’s differing approaches to Payton’s life story are mentioned) and Fritz Lang’s less loved followup to THE BIG HEAT—the bleak HUMAN DESIRE, reteaming Glenn Ford and Gloria Grahame.
2021-06-0223 minReviews And OtherwiseBonus Episode TEN GUILTY PLEASURESTen films either so bad they’re good or good mistakenly classified as bad. Includes Westerns starring William Shatner and Marty Robbins, Bette Davis and Ernest Borgnine as bank robbers disguised as hippies, Roger Corman underwater and in outer space, Doris Day and Richard Harris as spies in the cosmetics industry, Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland’s counterculture CANNONBALL RUN, the indescribable THE MANITOU and 50s pop star Fabian as Pretty Boy Floyd
2021-05-2920 min
Reviews And OtherwiseReviews And Otherwise Episode 1Capsule reviews of WRATH OF MAN, DREAM HORSE, ROCKFIELD: THE STUDIO ON THE FARM and ARMY OF THE DEAD.
2021-05-2809 min